THOMASVILLE- For three decades, Thomasville Center for the Arts has enriched the creative landscape of the Red Hills Region through visual, performing, literary, and applied arts. When art is displayed in public spaces, it acts as a form of collective community expression, reflecting worldviews through the artist’s interpretation of time, place, and sense of identity.

Each year through 2024, Thomasville Center for the Arts and Downtown Thomasville Main Street have partnered with a private donor to commission a new sculpture from an artist featured in the Wildlife Arts Festival. These sculptures honor patrons who have contributed to conservation and preserving wildlife culture in the Red Hills Region. They highlight animals native to the area, located along Broad Street and Jackson Street. The Center purchases these bronzes and donates them to the community through the City of Thomasville, where they are cared for and preserved.

The Thomasville Center for the Arts is proud to announce the installation of two new bronze sculptures in 2025, honoring two women, Diane Parker Williams and Sallie Perkins Sullivan, for the impact they both made through their involvement in various initiatives and projects. The two bronzes were unveiled at the 29th Wildlife Arts Festival kick-off in the UnVacant Lot on November 7, 2024, to a crowd of over 150 supporters. Without their work, the Red Hills would not be what it is today.

The bronze owl, sculpted by artist Paul Rhymer for Diane Parker Williams, is particularly fitting for her due to her love for owls in this region, so much so that she named her property “The Owls Nest.” This bronze is permanently located at 102 S. Broad St., on the corner of West Jackson. Street.

“My mother loved the bronze initiative, especially when customers of her beloved Gift Shop would comment on how much they enjoyed seeing the bronzes as they strolled downtown. She would be happy to know that a bronze owl is watching over downtown in her honor,” said Alston Watt.

The Labrador bronze, sculpted by Walt Matia, was chosen for Sallie Perkins Sullivan due to her passion for dogs. For 28 years, Sullivan purchased artwork from the Wildlife Arts Festival, showcasing dogs of all kinds and mediums. Her bronze is permanently located at 102 W. Jackson St.

According to Matia, “The main benefit is knowing that Thomasville Center for the Arts supports the entire national arts community, which helps them attract accomplished artists from across the country to the Wildlife Arts Festival and other Center events. It’s all interconnected.”

The Center for the Arts invites the public to connect with the community by taking a walk through downtown, where these notable bronze pieces highlight the significance of preserving rich history, beloved sporting traditions, and the diverse landscape that nurtures natural wildlife. 

For more information on how to contribute to this initiative or become a private donor, contact dtaylor@thomasvillearts.org.